Written By |
Ministry of Public Service offices
Search
The Ministry of Public Service has approved the recruitment of new staff for 27 government entities in the 2024/25 financial year. This decision follows an analysis revealing that these entities have over sh35.5b in excess wage funds in their budgets.
Catherine Bitarakwate, the ministry’s permanent secretary, issued a letter on July 29, 2024, instructing the accounting officers of the cleared entities to identify and submit lists of vacant positions to the relevant appointing authority. These submissions should be copied to the Ministry of Public Service, with a progress and wage performance report due three months after commencing the recruitment process.
Several entities have significant anticipated wage surpluses, including:
Office of the President: sh3.6b, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs: sh2.4b, Ministry of Education and Sports: sh7.2b, Ministry of Health: sh3.2b, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development: sh3.9b, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development: sh1.3b
Bitarakwate emphasized that the clearance is subject to further confirmation, considering commitments such as staff not yet on the payroll, those deactivated but not reinstated, and ongoing recruitments. She stressed that recruitment should ensure that the excess wage covers the salaries for 12 months without requesting supplementary funds.
Catherine Bitarakwate
In June, the government announced plans to recruit 1,200 health workers to enhance the capacity of health facilities nationwide. This recruitment addresses re-designations, study leaves, abscondments, and retirements. The elevation of Entebbe, Kayunga, and Yumbe to regional referral hospitals has also created additional vacancies. Dr. Pius Okong, chairperson of the Health Service Commission, stated that recruitment methods include advertisements, reserve lists, and COVID-19 validated staff lists.
Public universities will receive clearance to recruit after submitting reports on the harmonization of structures and wage performance. The Ministry of Public Service had previously issued a circular freezing new staff recruitment during the Rationalization of Government and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) implementation. The freeze aims to manage and accommodate staff from affected ministries and agencies. However, ongoing recruitment processes and critical vacancies may still proceed after consultations with the Ministry of Public Service.
In February 2023, the Ministry of Finance banned the recruitment of new public servants pending a payroll verification audit. Permanent Secretary Ramathan Ggoobi noted recurring shortfalls and supplementary requests due to poor human resource planning and budgeting. Ggoobi warned that accounting officers who violate these regulations would be held personally responsible.
Bitarakwate reiterated the importance of retaining staff experience, knowledge, and expertise from affected ministries and agencies during RAPEX, indicating a preference to absorb as many staff as possible rather than losing them.
